In the 8th century Middle East, a new dynasty seized control of one of the world’s greatest empires – the Islamic Caliphate. Though little remembered in the west today, the Abbasids reigned for five centuries. They oversaw an era of Islamic military dominance… city-building… brilliant scholarship, and technological innovation. It has come to be remembered as Islam’s ‘golden age’. This is the rise and fall of the Abbasid Caliphate.
Thank you to our series historical consultant, Professor Antoine Borrut of the University of Maryland. Find out more about his research and publications here: https://history.umd.edu/directory/antoine-borrut.
Thank you also to YouTube channel Al Muqaddimah for additional help with research. Watch great history videos on Islamic history at: https://www.youtube.com/@AlMuqaddimahYT
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📚 Osprey Publishing books on military forces of the Caliphate:
📖 Armies of the Muslim Conquest https://www.ospreypublishing.com/uk/armies-of-the-muslim-conquest-9781855322790/
📖 The Armies of Islam 7th-11th Centuries https://www.ospreypublishing.com/uk/armies-of-islam-7th11th-centuries-9780850454482/
📖 Armies of the Caliphates 862-1098 https://www.ospreypublishing.com/uk/armies-of-the-caliphates-8621098-9781855327702/
📖 Mounted Archers of the Steppe 600 BC–AD 1300 https://www.ospreypublishing.com/uk/mounted-archers-of-the-steppe-600-bcad-1300-9781841768090/
📖 Saracen Faris AD 1050–1250 https://www.ospreypublishing.com/uk/saracen-faris-ad-10501250-9781855324534/
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📚 Some recommended reading provided by Prof. Borrut for those wishing to know about the Abbasids (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases):
📖 A recent & comprehensive overview of Abbasid Baghdad and Abbasid culture: Emily Selove, Baghdad at the Centre of a World, 8th-13th Century: An Introductory Textbook https://www.amazon.co.uk/Baghdad-Centre-World-8th-13th-Century/dp/1944296158?tag=ephitv0b-21
📖 The funniest (and excellent) introduction to the topic (comic book): Emily Selove, Popeye and Curly: 120 Days in Medieval Baghdad https://www.amazon.co.uk/Popeye-Curly-Days-Medieval-Baghdad/dp/1944296190/ref=sr_1_1?tag=ephitv0b-21&crid=382P06ICW8JUQ&keywords=Emily%20Selove,%20Popeye%20and%20Curly&qid=1683105572&s=books&sprefix=emily%20selove%20popeye%20and%20curly,stripbooks,66&sr=1-1
📖 The most accessible narrative on the Abbasid dynasty: Hugh Kennedy, When Baghdad Ruled the Muslim World: The Rise and Fall of Islam’s Greatest Dynasty https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Baghdad-Ruled-Muslim-World/dp/0306814358/ref=sr_1_1?tag=ephitv0b-21&crid=6AXHGDF4BOJP&keywords=Hugh%20Kennedy,%20When%20Baghdad%20Ruled%20the%20Muslim%20World&qid=1683105401&s=books&sprefix=hugh%20kennedy%20when%20baghdad%20ruled%20the%20muslim%20world,stripbooks,71&sr=1-1
📖 To move away from the aura of masculinity surrounding the period: Nadia Maria El Cheikh, Women, Islam, and Abbasid Identity https://bookshop.org/a/99532/9780674736368 / https://uk.bookshop.org/a/12275/9780674736368
📖 An excellent biography of a major Abbasid caliph: Michael Cooperson, Al-Ma’mun https://uk.bookshop.org/a/12275/9781851683864 / https://www.amazon.co.uk/Al-Mamun-Makers-Muslim-Michael-Cooperson/dp/1851683860/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?tag=ephitv0b-21&crid=4T91N1E942Z3&keywords=Michael%20Cooperson,%20Al-Ma’mun&qid=1683105527&s=books&sprefix=michael%20cooperson%20al-ma%20mun,stripbooks,65&sr=1-1-fkmr0
📖 Many more excellent biographies in the same series, “Makers of the Muslim World”: https://www.simonandschuster.com/series/Makers-of-the-Muslim-World
📖 A thought-provoking discussion of the making of a discrete Muslim identity in pre-Abbasid times: Fred M. Donner, Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam https://bookshop.org/a/99532/9780674064140 / https://uk.bookshop.org/a/12275/9780674064140
You can visit our online bookshop to find great books on the Abbasids and other topics:
UK site – https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/epichistorytv
US site – https://bookshop.org/shop/epichistorytv
As a bookshop.org affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases while donating 10% of sales to support independent bookshops!
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What is it about Central Asia that makes them always revolt? Alexander had issues with them too
Seems like they slayed alot of their family..
the reason of why its golden is how open minded harun and maamoun were, in terms of making non arabs islamacized or not play huge roles in holding positions to advance knowledge ,he treated them with the same respect of the muslims arabs, he let christians hold positions and asked them to translate from syrianic texts and the latin writings to arabic. they were not forced to be muslims they remained christians and jews , he used people born in persia or afghan or with turkic and persian culture, to actually continue using their rich culture and knowledge but in arabic , he was extremely tolerant almost secular because he prioritized science and literature and made sure that this new arabic language limited as language of pre islamic poetry and quran, is uptodate with civilisation ,, he expanded it and gave it a cosmopolitan cultured dimension, because there wouldnt have been godlen era without the help of christians of the eastern , and the jews and the persians and the zoroastrians. and all varieties of ppl specifically the newly islamacized persians like khawarizmy and kindy ,aviecienna, originally not arabs plus of course the translators mainly jewish and christians and theologians who translated the books of their religion and theology. and added to them in addition of translating roman texts…….its the openmindness and tolerance of haroun and ma2moun…withoutthem , there wouldnt be any golden era. forcing all to be muslim and only write what wouldnt offend islam, perhaps even excluding sciences all together.
Thank you very much. It is a powerful inspiring story to understand the historical human barbaric civilization on religion, power, culture and intelectual life. 😊
Awesome Video! By far the most comprehensive and nicely illustrated one I have found covering Islamic Golden Age
W Mongols 🇲🇳
Mongols didn't destroy libraries it's a lie
As an Egyptian Muslim with very much exposure to Islamic history, I can confirm that, by far, the Umayyad dynasty has a much more powerful impact on Islamic world than Abbasids. The golden age if you wish.
I like how the narrator says Chingiz Khan😊
I ended up here due to my appreciation of Age of Empire 4's Abbasid Dynasty civilization. What a great history lesson and now I want to dive into other races, cultures, and history lessons. Thank you for your contributions.